Buds and Ashes
by Eritree
Summary: Cold, molycuddling and sharp. Have you ever wondered how Petunia Dursley became this way? Set in Petunia's perspective, this story is about her childhood, teenage years and personal feelings. What was it REALLY like having Lily Evans as a sister?
1. Cleanliness is Petunia

- Author's note: As you are probably aware, the characters in this fanfic were not created by me. Their existence is due to the imagination of J.K. Rowling and the granted publishing made by Bloomsbury.

I hope that you enjoy reading the first instalment to Buds and Ashes. Please feel free to offer me any advice if you have found faults in the writing or were not satisfied whilst reading. Other than that, I might just let you get on with ACTUALLY reading...maybe...perhaps...o.o;;

Hope ya liiike!

Damn. XD

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**Buds and Ashes**

**Chapter One  
Cleanliness is Petunia, Petunia is Cluttered.**

Dust clung to every nook and cranny that was visible. It was clear the attic hadn't been attended to in an exceedingly long time. Petunia Dursley was an exceptionally painstakingly neat and precise woman. So, something was off the mark with this picture. Her large pale eyes followed the cluttered array of pile upon pile of boxes. Books, photographs, aged music records and ornaments were strewn across the once varnished wooden flooring. Someone else would have been intimidated by this sort of unfathomable mess. But Petunia, just eyed it, approached it calmly and began to sort through the varied assortment of the Dursley's possessions, and divided them consecutively into categorised boxes.

It had only been an hour when the formerly untidy floor was as empty and bare as one of her son Dudley's dinner plates. She scanned the area around again double-checking she hadn't missed anything. Deciding she'd done the job justice she moved to leave, before freezing right in her tracks. Her already pale thin face whitened. Her whole being became numb. She quivered slightly, before gradually edging away to back against the nearest attic wall. There squatting as bold as brass, was the reason as to why she had avoided the attic. She seemed to have forgotten its existence. Or, maybe she had been forcefully blocking it out of her mind in a pretended ignorance. She wrung her hands, her eyes now bulging at the wretched abomination.

The box. But, this unfortunately for Petunia was not any old box. This box was so emotionally tied to her she couldn't even muster the courage to bring herself to discard it. This box contained all of the demons in Petunia's past. The overhanging haunting that had devoured and tainted her very soul yesterday, today and for tomorrow. She shuddered. This was something she had never managed to overcome.

"Petunia?" Her husband's voice echoed throughout the room. "Are you alright? You've been up here for a long time."

She jumped, before eyeing her husband's concerned almost neck less face, which poked through the attic opening.

"I'm fine Vernon dear. There was just a lot more to tidy than I'd guaranteed." She said softly and reassuringly, desperately feigning the composure she couldn't undergo inside.

Vernon eyed her nervously. "If you're sure dear, but you look a little bit under the weather, and it looks almost spotless in here now. Are you ready to come down now?"

"Honestly, Vernon, I am fine. I'll be down in a minute. I just have to attend to-…tidy…this box."

"I see. Well if you're sure Petunia, well, I'll put the kettle on and make you a cup of tea. You've surely earned it." He smiled at her, before his head disappeared again.

She hadn't even shared the contents of the box with Vernon. It was _her_ secret. Hers alone. She grimaced and tightened her small, pale and bony fists, before crouching down beside it. She gazed down at it apprehensively.

_I will not let this disturb my life anymore…I won't let it impend on me or my family…_

She cleared her throat and inhaled one refreshingly long breath, before her left hand closed around the opening cardboard lid flap. She held it there momentarily. It was like a warped version of Christmas…like it was the dreaded known present from one of her relatives. No one indeed, was watching as they would at Christmas, but she felt unreal unseen eyes all the same, as if this was in fact a scene of a horror movie. Her horror movie.

A very pretty redheaded 7 year old girl with bright and bewitching green eyes grinned widely and cheekily back at her. On her right, was a sweetly smiling 10 year old blonde-haired girl with a very long willowy neck. The young pair had their arms around each other snugly. They appeared to be physically different, yet vaguely similar in the same respect. They had to be sisters.

Petunia's face, as she looked down at the photograph, was emotionless. It had been the first thing that had blared up at her, after the lid flap had been moved to one side.


	2. The Child Proud to be Strange

Authors Note: Hello, hello, hello.. Yes, yes it is me again with the next instalment to Buds and Ashes. As you know, I do not own any of the characters in this work of fanfiction. Their existence is due to J.K. Rowling only and the publishing of Bloomsbury. I hope that you likes this chapter and that you don't find it boring or uninteresting, but if you do please don't hesitate in advising me on how to do better. It would be very much appreciated! xD

Thanks you, Strawberry Fields Forever x... ,for your review. -Smile- -Smile- I am indeed continuing(I hope) and I also hope you enjoy this chapter too. XD Also, thanks you Emmy-Lou for subscribing to my fanfic alert. :)

Okies, I think that is all...Enjoy! XD

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**Chapter Two  
The Child Proud To Be Strange.**

"Tuney!" A bubbly and adorable girlish voice squealed elatedly.  
A torrent of shoulder-length red hair abruptly whipped into Petunia's face obscuring her vision, as she was simultaneously knocked over onto her back in the grass.  
"Tuneeey!" Big laughing and striking green eyes gazed up at her vibrantly through long strands of shimmering auburn. Petunia gritted her teeth attempting to suppress the sensations of bruising forming on her shoulder blades, before irritably arching her upper body and trying to pry herself from her younger sister's firm and affectionate grip.  
"Mummy and Daddy told you to stop it Lily!" Petunia frowned.  
For a second time, she found herself failing to escape her younger sister's arms. Surely it wasn't _normal_ for a girl of seven to possess the ability to overpower a ten year old. It was as if Lily had the strength of a fully grown man.

"Let go Lily!" She demanded piercingly.

Immediately, Lily withdrew her arms and exposed her white baby teeth with an endearing grin.

"Sorry, Tuney."

"It's OK, just don't do it again." She sighed and shook her head in disapproval, before taking hold of Lily's small, delicate silky hands

"Come on Lily, let's go the park."

"OK! Yay! Can we go on the swings?"

"Of course." Petunia smiled warmly.

She guided Lily out the front garden's mahogany ivy woven gate, which directly led to the street of Spinner's end, and fastened the lock behind her.

Spinner's end was a cobbled street with rows of identical brick houses. It was drab and dreary, almost to the extent of which that it appeared desolate. Closely situated to the street was a river. It was mud-coloured, murky, was most likely polluted and its bank was scattered with litter. Just within range of the river squatted an old and neglected mill with a high chimney. In short, Spinner's end was neither welcoming nor a high-quality place to live in. But, for Petunia and Lily, it was home.

The familiar path ahead was stony and gritty and would often reduce Petunia's trainers to shreds with barely a sole or design left. Lily's on the other hand mysteriously remained intact as if they had never been worn previously. This infuriated Petunia to a tee, as she was very fashion conscious, especially orderly and was responsible in her actions. In her eyes Lily was the opposite, as she was wild, unruly and rash. Judging their differing personalities, if anyone's clothing let alone footwear was beyond repair and discoloured, it ought to be Lily's.

It wasn't a far distance to the local park as Spinner's end, although being full of houses, was a small street. So, it wasn't long before the two sisters hand in hand approached the park's black metal gate and fence of bars. Lily broke free almost instantaneously and she tore through the gate in a burst of enthusiasm and excitement.

Petunia rolled her eyes and grinned to herself.  
_Typical Lily._

"Hey Lily, you moron, wait for me!" She laughed and hurried towards where Lily was already swinging far above the ground.

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Petunia had already been awake since half past seven in the morning, yet her younger sister remained soundlessly slumbering in her bed.

"Lily! Wake up!" She found the outline of a lump in the bedcovers and shook it gently.  
"Come on Lily. It's time to get up!"

Sounds of muffled moans were shortly followed by two slender and graceful arms stretching upwards out from under a lilac, green and flowery duvet laced with daisies. Lily's head surfaced subsequently and she yawned sleepily.

"What time is it Tuney?" Lily asked drowsily.  
Petunia checked her wrist-watch promptly.  
"It's eleven o'clock exactly. Come on Lily, it's our family photograph today. I need to help you get ready."  
"Oh yeah! Am I wearing my green dress with the flowers on it?"  
"If you want, but you have to go and have a shower first. Go and ask Mummy to help you."

Petunia watched Lily skip out of their bedroom before approaching the dressing table in the centre of the room between the two single beds. She seated herself carefully in the chair opposite the dressing table and found herself face to face with her reflection in the mirror.

She wasn't the most attractive of girls, but she was neither plain nor ugly. She had thin, straight blonde hair that ran just past her shoulders, large pale eyes, a long willowy neck and thin pink lips. Fishing through the drawers on the right side of the dressing table, she searched for her turquoise hairbrush, her blue and glittery hair-clips and her hair scrunchies. Once found, she began at once to plait her hair. When the plaits were finished she scrutinised them warily. Her hair looked tidy and pretty, yet she found them disagreeable to her facial features and decided they didn't suit her.

It took several attempts at fixing her hair into different styles, and she was content with none of them, so she thought finally and firmly that she'd wear her hair loose. She stood up facing the mirror and twirled so she could inspect her outfit. She was currently wearing a white silky blouse, which her parents had brought her for her tenth birthday, a white flowing skirt with pink flowers embroidered on it and white plimsolls. She smiled in approval and pride. There was not a crease in sight.

Lily gaped in awe and admiration from the gap in the door, clad in only a towel, her auburn hair darkened and dripping with water.  
"You look so pretty Tuney!" She exclaimed.  
Petunia started in surprise and swivelled round to face her sister.  
"Thank you. You didn't half just give me a fright though," She beamed. "Oh Lily! Your hair is soaking!"  
Petunia delicately removed the towel wrapped around Lily, before rubbing it lightly yet firmly into her hair in order to dry it. Once her hair was as dry as Petunia saw fit, she helped dress her in her green daisy speckled frock and manoeuvred her towards the chair opposite the dressing table.

"Hmm, what to do with your hair…What...on earth are you doing?" Petunia stared incredulously.  
Lily's reflection was gazing back at her whilst sticking her tongue out, wriggling it around and rolling her eyes into awkward positions.  
"You're a strange child Lily." Petunia regarded her with an amused countenance.

"Strange and…proud of it!" She grinned cheekily.

"Well at least _someone_ is" Petunia joked.  
Lily laughed and crossed her eyes in response.  
"Hmm…what about having your hair in bunches? That would look pretty cute."  
"No way!"  
Petunia bit her lower lip and stared at the hairbrush thoughtfully.  
"I'll just brush it for now I think."

She lifted the brush and began to run it gently through Lily's goading tangles. Her hair was very thick, so at the best of times it was a tricky task, especially when she was trying hard not to cause her sister any discomfort or pain. But, issues such as these never fazed Petunia. As soon as her hair was untangled, the door unexpectedly creaked as Mr Evans poked his head through the space.  
"Oh my goodness, don't tell me I've caught you when you're ready." He winked mischievously.  
Lily and Petunia exchanged looks and shook their heads in mock disapproval, Mr Evans laughed in reply, carrying a camera in tow, as he entered the room.  
"Now, I know it's hard but if you could both drag your pretty faces away from the mirror, and line up by the wall I would be must obliged to take some pictures."

The sisters in unison stuck out their tongues, placed their arms snugly around each other and backed against the rear of their bedroom.

"Smile!"

And with just a single click, a photograph was born.


End file.
